ALTERNATIVE Prime Minister Nominee and Member for Finschhafen Hon. Rainbo Paita has welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court and reaffirmed the Opposition’s intention to move a motion of no confidence in Prime Minister James Marape next month.
Mr Paita took cue from Opposition Leader Hon. Douglas Tomuriesa in accepting the decision by the court and supported the call for a change in government due to the many crises facing the country.
Mr Paita said: “Although the decision by the court was not what we were hoping for, this now shifts our focus to September 3 when Parliament resumes.
“The Opposition will be filing a new motion of no confidence, and we hope Mr Marape deals with it head on and does not run away from it. All we have seen in parliament and in the courthouse are desperate delay tactics.
“Contrary to Mr Marape’s rhetoric, the Opposition is not power hungry or hungry to take his job. We are trying to save this country and fix it from all the mess he created.
“There are so many wrongs affecting this country yet there is no leadership willing to fix it. If he is so concerned with the state of our country’s affairs, why are we facing disaster after disaster?
“Blackouts cripple our cities, monthly massacres have become normal, kidnappings are now a trend, guns and knives have replaced bibles, police and defenseare struggling, compromised state institutions are serving personal interests, self-interest has taken over the people’s interest, and the PNG Kina virtually has no value compared to theAustralian Dollar –and the list goes on!
“The general restlessness in the country is a symptom of a failing state. Institutional failures are evident. How far can we allow the fall to happen? Fall of the Kina, fall of law and order, fall in government trust, fall in institutional capacity to implement programs, fall in morality in society. How far dowe allow this fall becausewe will soon realise that we won’t be able to climb out?
Mr Paita said the current politicking is fully warranted when the leader of the country is unable to lead the country effectively.
“Mr Marape continues to say he is unable to do work because he is busy managing politics. That has to be one of the biggest excuses this country has ever heard of.
“Among all our former prime ministers, James Marape has been the third longest servingPM, but has he made PNG into a better place than when he wasn’t PM?
“In Australia and New Zealand, prime ministers only serve for a period of three years. They
face the same level of political stress while managing the country, but they are still able to get things done because they are capable of the job.
“The coming change will happen regardless ofthe delay tactics trying to stop it. If the government actually started fixing the problems, instead of making longwinded press statements and speeches, they could rebuild their political capital and build confidence. Unfortunately, its just a race to the bottom.
“It is time for a change and change will come in September,” Mr Paita pledged.
